


Steve Rogers the co-parent

by Stonyinspirationwriter



Series: The Ava Stark-Rogers Series [14]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Boyfriend Steve Rogers, Boyfriends, Child Genius, Co-parent, Domestic Fluff, Live-in boyfriend, M/M, OC Child Character, POV Steve Rogers, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Parenthood, Stony - Freeform, Superhusbands (Marvel), Toddler, co-parent Steve Rogers, new parent Steve Rogers, oc female character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 11:27:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14893757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stonyinspirationwriter/pseuds/Stonyinspirationwriter
Summary: Steve Rogers first morning as a homeowner, live-in boyfriend and co-parent to Tony’s three year old daughter.





	Steve Rogers the co-parent

**Author's Note:**

> One of the first stories in The Ava Stark-Rogers Series. Can be read in any order.

Steve is suddenly awakened by what feels like a kick to his face. Steve jerks his head up in confusion, and the first thing his bleary eyes and sleep fogged brain take in are two little feet.

Sprawled out on her back in a horizontal position, clad in pink footie pajamas and a head full of dark curls, is his boyfriend’s three year old daughter. Ava's head is lopped to the side, hands curled into little fists beside her head, legs spread wide with the soles of her feet inches from Steve's face.

On the far other side of Ava’s large round head Tony is lying with his back to them in a fetal position, a slant of blue light escaping from under his arm and cutting through the darkness as he teeters on the edge of the California King sized bed. Most likely driven to the edge for refuge from Ava’s violently erratic movements.

Steve slightly shuffles to the edge of the bed for safety just before Ava twitches in her sleep, causing her leg to spasm and stretch out further where his face had just been moments before.

Steve recalls Tony initially taking her back to her own bed after she had attempted to slip into bed with them during the night, but he isn't sure what number of attempt it had been before Tony had finally given in.

Tony has admitted fault for allowing Ava to form the habit of sleeping in his bed before Steve had moved in. When Steve had begun to spend the night, Ava would often wander into the bedroom the middle of the night in search of her “Daddy Night Light”-- what she had dubbed Tony's’ arc reactor. Back when Steve had started spending the night Tony was adamant that Ava wouldn't be allowed o sleep in the same bed with the two of them, but being that the light emanating from the arc reactor seemed to be the only thing that seem to effectively soothe her back to sleep, the consequence was that Tony would occasionally have to sacrifice his back by cramming himself into her small, canopy bed until she was lulled back to sleep.

Tonight was the first time Ava had shared their bed, and after what Steve had witnessed last night, he could see why Tony was hesitant to allow her in their bed. Ava was a terror to sleep with; her movements erratic. It’s a mystery how Tony ever managed to sleep. Steve hoped that this didn't become more than an occasional occurrence now that he’d moved in. He couldn’t live like that, no matter how fucking adorable Ava was.

Unable to fall back to sleep, Steve stares up at the darkened ceiling, listening to Ava's steady breathing peppered by Tony’s soft snoring.

Despite the restless night and rude awakening, there’s this feeling of tranquility that comes with not only waking up and knowing where you are, but in knowing without a single doubt that it’s where you are meant to be.

It has only been a week since Steve made the transition to live in boyfriend, and less than twenty-four hours since they'd moved into this house. There were still boxes that needed to be unpacked, but the furniture and the other main components was in its place. And Tony being Tony, had once again gone above and beyond to instantly make him feel at home.

“This is a huge step”, Sam had warned. “It’s not like the other times you two were living together. You moving in, buying a house together, huge steps. But you are ready to play Daddy, man?”

No he wasn’t. He didn’t know where to even begin. All he knew was that he loved Tony and wanted to make it work. They had to make it work. They’ve experienced many times what it was like to live without each other, and yet like two magnets they’d always been drawn and pulled back together. Why fight it anymore?

It was hard not to love Ava, the precocious little child with a beaming personality that captured the hearts of anyone that came into contact with her.

Steve loved her, but he wasn't ready to jump into parental mode, and thankfully, Tony had made it clear that he didn’t expect that. His relationship with wasn't something Steve hadn't contemplated too hard before now. What had once been so familiar had now become unfamiliar territory. If he thought too much about it he’d become riddled with a crippling anxiety. He wasn't ready to be called dad. Just being Steve had been enough before, and just being Steve would have to be enough now.

Steve glanced over at his phone charging on his night stand. Ten til five. He could either go for his habitual morning run or take full advantage of his day off and stay in bed for a while. Between the move and training the newest Avengers recruits it had certainly been a busy week, no one would blame him if he wanted to take it easy. After another few minutes of staring into darkness, being alluded by sleep, Steve decided to go for his run.

Steve nimbly climbs out of bed, careful not to awaken either of his sleeping companions. Eyes straining against the darkness, Steve rummages around the ridiculously large closet for his sweatpants.

Typical of Tony to have a closet that was bigger than the apartment Steve had grown up in back in Brooklyn. It was supposed to be shared but no matter how many suits Tony insisted Steve buy, his wardrobe selection would never even be a quarter of Tony's. There truly were some things that would never change.

Once Steve has changed into his workout clothing and brushed his teeth, he makes his way downstairs.

The house is beautiful. A dash of elegance, but also very warm and homely. Compared to the ridiculously extravagant places Tony has lived throughout the years, one might claim it was almost modest for Tony's usual taste--Steve suspected that Tony had chosen the design that best suited Steve's own decorating tastes.  
“I want this to be our place.” Tony had said to him when he'd brought him to view the house. “Just like we used to talk about.”

For a long time Steve had believed that the dreams they'd once shared were forever gone, along with the other shattered remnants that had once been their relationship. Now there Tony was, a couple of years and a resurrected relationship later, standing before him and asking him to take another huge leap of faith.

Tony wasn't merely asking Steve if he'd move in with him again--though that in itself would have been grand with Ava thrown into the mix--what Tony was proposing was that they put down roots and officially build the life together they had long ago discussed.

There was no more hesitation. No more beating around the bush. No more what ifs. No more regrets. Steve obstinately fought for the people he loved, but he had managed to allow Tony to slip through his fingers. He hadn't fought hard enough for him then, but every day since then he had promised to fight tooth and nail for him.

Now here Steve Roger's stood: homeowner, live-in boyfriend, and possible co-parent.

As Steve passes the mantel his eyes habitually glance at his mother's photograph. It had been one of the first items Steve had unpacked as a way to personalize their new home. It had been the only picture of her Tony had been able to recover, and it had been restored as well as possible.

In the picture his mother was young, most likely in her late teens or early 20’s. She’s wearing a lacy blouse with a turtle neck-like collar. Her lips are pursued into a small smile, and there’s a spark of light in her eyes. The same spark that remained even through the hard times, and had only faded on her death bed.

Growing up, they didn’t have much. She was a single mother that had worked so hard just for the little they had and never once complained. She made sure that Steve had enough to eat, even if it meant she herself had to skip a few meals.  
Whenever Steve would protest about her giving up her meals to him, she would sternly say: “I am your mother, Steven. I know what’s best for you. Honor me by eating every last bit so you can grow up strong.”

He wondered what she would think of the house, of the life he was finally forging for himself. He hoped she would be proud. Look at him, his mother had long been deceased and he still had this innate need to make her proud; he did his best to live his life in accordance to that.

Steve kisses two of his fingertips and places them on the photograph before heading out the door into the crisp, country morning air.

* * * * * *

In the reflection in the bathroom mirror Steve can see Ava standing in the doorway, sleepily rubbing an eye.

“Morning”, Steve greets, carefully running the razor over the shaving cream on the side of his face.

“Mor'in”, Ava mumbles, staring curiously at Steve's task. Steve's lips quirk into a smile at the little girls fascination and proceeds to silently continue his task.

“Daddy”, the little girl suddenly chirps, pointing up at Steve. Steve freezes, his razor suspended in mid air. She had never called him that before. He had only ever been Steve.

“Huh?” Steve chokes out, his heart seizing.

Ava points to her chin. “Daddy.”

Steve knits his eyebrows together in confusion before it dawns on him. “Oh!” Steve exclaims, relieved. “Your Daddy shaves.”

“Daddy shaves.” Ava repeats, mentally cataloging the words. “I go pee now”, Ava then declares without preamble, tugging at the crotch of her onesie.

“Ummm...” Steve stares for a moment with a dumbfounded expression. “Hold on”, he says, grabbing a hand towel to wipe the last bit of shaving cream from his face. 

The toddler gives the zipper a few futile tugs before managing to unzip her onesie. “So you're good?” Steve dubiously asks, raising an awkward thumbs up. "Well, okay then. You can take it from here.” Steve hurriedly turns toward the door. “I'm just, uh...I'll be right out here. If you need something.” Steve closes the bathroom door behind him, eternally grateful that she is potty trained.

“I hope you left the seat down.” Tony murmurs from behind him, his voice still hoarse from sleep.

Shit. Did he? Wait, he did. 

“Yeah”, Steve confirms. “I remembered.”

We dont want her falling in”, Tony stresses. Then he adds, “Again.”

“No, we wouldn't want that.” Steve agrees.

Yeah, it had happened. When Ava had newly completed her potty training and had graduated from the child training toilet to the actual toilet, Tony--having been solely living with his infant daughter -- had forgotten to leave the toilet seat down. It almost happened again with Steve when he had been over, but Tony had luckily caught his mistake in time.  
With his head still resting on the pillow, Tony lazily motions for him. Steve sits on the edge of the bed and Tony wraps his arms around his middle and tugs him down beside him. 

“Hmm”,Tony hums. “Why are you up so early on our coinciding day off?” Tony presses his nose against Steve's neck. “You showered too”, he notes.

“It wasn't exactly my choice”, Steve admits. “I was kicked out. Literally kicked out.”

Tony shakes his head and breathes a heavy sigh. “I tried taking her back to her bed-- It's a new house. New room. She's still getting accumulated to her new environment.”

“S'fine”, Steve says, brushing it off, feeling a little guilty for even mentioning it. “I understand.”

“I'll make sure she stays in her own bed tonight”, Tony reassures him.

“It's not a big deal”, Steve insists.

“She really needs to stay in her own bed”, Tony continues, chastising himself. “It's my fault. I didn't put up enough boundaries.”

Steve regrets even making a comment. He didn't expect Tony to take it so seriously. “It's really okay, Tony.” Steve says earnestly, turning to meet Tony’s eyes. “Shes just a kid. It's gonna happen.” An inscrutable look passes Tony's features, but Tony conceals it by pressing his lips against Steve's throat.

“Trust me”, Steve adds with a smile, I was in the army. I've slept under worse conditions.” Tony chuckles at that. Steve's runs his fingers through the curls at the base of Tony's neck.   
Steve liked his hair longer. He loved how it curled at the ends, and he loved how the grey gave him a distinguished, sexy look. Steve makes an appreciative noise. 

He wishes they could stay in bed like this the entire day without interruptions. He would officially christen their new home by having his way with Tony on every possible surface. Just the thought alone was enough to cause heat to pool in his belly. Steve knows that's impossible though. He knows what he signed up for.  
As though on cue the bathroom door opens, and Ava skampers onto the bed, unabashedly crawling over Steve with pointy elbows and knees, eliciting an involuntary groan from his lips. A swinging leg hits Tony's crotch, and he lets out a huff of pain before she interlopes herself between the two of them.  
Watch it, you Monkey! Tony hisses.  
“I'm hungry”, Ava declares, unphased by their agony.

“Im sorry, your highness”, Tony mocks, teeth still gritted. "Are we not meeting your standards?”

Ava sneers at the comment, smart enough to comprehend it was an insult without quite knowing what it means.

"What do you want to eat?" Steve asks, rubbing his chest.

“Food.” Ava says cheekily.

“I figured that much”, Steve snorts, shaking his head. He turns to Tony. “Why don't we check out the town? I read online that they have great places for breakfast.”

“I'll be the judge of that.’ Tony declares. “Just let me get into the shower. Tony turns back to Ava. “Hey, did you wash your hands?”

“I'm short!” Ava says exasperatedly. “I can't reach!”

“Right.” Tony sighs. “Fine, I'm up.”

*******

While Tony showers and changes Steve volunteers himself to help Ava get ready, and he can tell Tony is appreciative.

They're in her own personal bathroom, pink and white tiles covering the floor and bathroom wall. He monitors while she stands on her little stepping stool against the sink, mouth foaming like a rabid dog from too much tooth paste as she carefully brushes each little tooth.

When Steve would stay over the penthouse there had been a couple of times that he had aided in Ava's morning process just to buy Tony a few hours of sleep.  
He'd play with her, doing his best to hold her interest as long as possible, although holding her attention was a feat in itself.

They'd eaten cereal together, built towers out of legos, watched cartoons, played on her tablet, listened to music from his era--she strangely had a fondness for the Andrew Sisters..

Ava Stark wasn't your normal toddler. She had prematurely reached every developmental milestone, was already reading at an advanced rate, and possessed a level of comprehension that was much greater than that of the average toddler. Much like her father, her mind moved at lightening speed, synapses constantly firing, greedily absorbing every bit of information. Although her vocabulary was extensive it was still budding, and there would sometimes be a disconnect from her brain to her mouth that caused her to suddenly shift from clear and articulate to a fragmented, jumbled mess of words.

There were also times when Ava just seemed like an average, happy child with irrational fears and a sense of wonder, but then she'd say something that would make it obvious that she was anything but an ordinary child.

She could be tiresome at times. She was unrelenting, never seeming to tire, and extremely bossy, which meant that she would dictate everything they did, from the cereal they ate, to what they would build out of legos. He found that if she was unsatisfied with his Lego building skills then she would merely take over herself, which happened often.

Tony would sometimes call her out on her domineering behavior, but Steve himself didn't want to overstep his bounds. 

“Who taught you to be so bossy” Tony had asked, frowning in disapproval.

“You did”, Ava responded without hesitation.

She could also be manipulative, and her weapon of choice were those eyes of hers. Ava would look up with those golden brown eyes that resembled her father’s, and bat those dramatically long lashes; it'd take a man with the strongest of will to deny her anything.

The thing about Ava, though, was that as frustrating and tiresome she could be, she was filled to the brim with charm, and was generally good-natured and an extremely loving kid that Steve genuinely enjoyed to have around. It wasn't just because he was head over heels in love with her father, although that little fact may have granted him a bit more patience.

After she finished brushing her teeth Steve made the mistake of trying to help her change into an outfit. She had an obscene amount of clothing, more than a child should have--Natasha and every other female they had contact with was to blame. But how hard could it be to pick out clothes and change a toddler? Well, as long as it wasn't something with an irritating amount of buttons or bows.   
The minute he had turned his back to search through the closet for something simple, she stripped out of her clothes and took off running in the nude. Steve might have been faster, but she used his size against him but hiding underneath low furniture, manically cackling as he struggled to coax her out. He tried bribing her but she was having too much fun torturing him to pay any mind to him. He finally managed to get a hold of her leg--careful not to harm the small child-- and pulled her out.

********

When Tony announced he was ready to go he found a visibly exasperated Steve trying to get a dress that was twisted and obviously inside out over her head as she squirmed and protested.

Tony had decided that he would save the video footage to show to their friends later.


End file.
